VOTERS GUIDE NONPARTISAN ELECTION MATERIAL

1 league OF women VOTERS OF HOUSTON EDUCATION FUND | NOVEMBER 7, 2017 VOTERS GUIDE | league of women VOTERS is a NONPARTISAN organization. The league of women VOTERS and the league of women VOTERS Education Fund do not support or oppose any political party or candidate. For more than 95 years, the league s mission has been to support active and informed citizen participation in government. The league believes that voting is a vital part of Making Democracy league of women VOTERS of Houston Education Fund publishes the VOTERS GUIDE to help each voter cast an informed ballot. Inside you will find information about the voting process, the duties and responsibilities of the offices that are included in this ELECTION , the names of candidates and, in races where there are two or more candidates, the candidates responses to questions posed by the league of women VOTERS .

2 The responses provided by candidates are reproduced without editing or verification. Each candidate is personally and solely responsible for the content of his/her response. Candidates names are listed in the order in which they will appear on the ballot. (More about the process used to assemble this VOTERS GUIDE can be found on page 4.)No portion of this VOTERS GUIDE may be reproduced for use in political campaigns or advertising. Other proposed uses are permitted only with advance written authorization of the league of women VOTERS of Houston Education Fund. HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARDS OF TRUSTEE ELECTIONS ARE NON-PARTISAN ELECTIONSC andidates do not run as representatives of any political party.

3 In each of these races a candidate must receive 50% plus one vote to be certified as the winner. If no candidate reaches this threshold the top two candidates will face each other in a runoff ELECTION . If a runoff ELECTION is necessary, go to for up-to-date information. PHOTO ID IS REQUIRED TO VOTE IN PERSON IN ALL TEXAS ELECTIONST exas photo ID requirements are now in effect. Those voting in person, whether voting early or on ELECTION Day, will be required to present one of 7 acceptable forms of photo ID issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) or the United States Government. A list of acceptable forms of identification can be found in What Identification will be required at the Poll on page 2 of this VOTERS GUIDE and on a page 22.

4 Photo ID will not be required of VOTERS who vote by you encounter any problems at the poll, remember that you may always ask to cast a Provisional Ballot. You may also contact the County Clerk s office at 713-755-6411, the Texas Secretary of State ELECTION Division at 1-800-252-8683, or the United States Department of Justice at 1-800-253-3931 if you believe that your right to vote is being unlawfully denied or impeded. EARLY VOTING AND BALLOTS BY MAILThe dates for early voting are Monday, October 23 through Friday, November 3. Early voting polling locations and early voting hours can be found in this VOTERS GUIDE . Any registered Harris County voter may cast an early ballot at any early voting location in Harris County.

5 Some VOTERS qualify to vote by mail. The request for a Ballot by Mail must be received by the County Clerk s office no later than Friday, October 27. Except for mail ballots coming from overseas, all completed mail ballots must arrive at the County Clerk s office by 7:00 on ELECTION Day. For complete details and to see if you qualify, see When can I vote on page 2 of this VOTERS GUIDE . If you request a mail ballot and then decide to vote in person, you will be asked to relinquish your paper mail ballot when you arrive at the polling place. If your paper ballot is not available, you will still be able to vote in person, using the provisional ballot GUIDEVOTERS GUIDENONPARTISAN ELECTION MATERIAL November 7, 2017 General ELECTION Polls Open 7 to 7 OF women VOTERS OF HOUSTON EDUCATION FUNDSTATEWIDE BALLOT ISSUESE xplanation and pro/con arguments for the 7 Texas Constitutional Amendments offered for statewide voter 4-7 LOCAL BALLOT ISSUESRead the text City of Houston ballot 8 CANDIDATE INFORMATIONL earn about the candidates.

6 Our GUIDE features unedited biographical and policy responses from candidates for for Houston Community College and Houston Independent School District Boards of 9-16(Note: Several additional political entities and school districts in Harris County are also holding elections on November 7. These elections are NOT covered in this VOTERS GUIDE .)Things VOTERS should KnowAbouT The league of women VOTERS And This VOTERS guideINDEXSTATE OF TEXAS Constitutional Amendments ..4 LOCAL BALLOT ISSUESCity of Houston Ballot Issues ..8 HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGED istrict IV ..9 District V ..10 District IX ..11 HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT District I ..12 District III ..13 District V.

7 14 District VI ..15 District VII ..15 District IX ..16 GENERAL INFORMATIONV oter Information ..2 Early Voting Your Specific Ballot ..17 LWV Membership EDUCATION FUNDPROVIDES INFORMATION ON7 PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONALAMENDMENTS Our thanks to our state organization, the league of women VOTERS of Texas, for providing the English and Spanish versions of information about the proposed constitutional amendments. All Texas VOTERS are asked to vote to accept or reject each of these Constitutional Amendments. In this VOTERS GUIDE you will find the exact wording for each amendment, an explanation, and pro and con arguments. SAVE TIME ON ELECTION DAY - CHECK OUT YOUR PRECINCT POLLING PLACE LOCATION BEFORE YOU HEAD TO THE POLLS On ELECTION Day you MUST vote at the location that is designated for your precinct.

8 Although during early voting you may vote at any one of the 46 early voting locations in Harris County, on ELECTION Day, Tuesday, November 7, you MUST vote in your precinct. Your precinct number appears on your current voter Registration Certificate (VRC), which is blue and white. You can also find your precinct number by contacting the voter Registrar at 713-368-8683 or by going to To get a list, by precinct, of ELECTION Day voting locations go to or call the Harris County Clerk s office at 713-755-6965. This information will also appear in the Houston Chronicle prior to ELECTION Day. A SPECIAL MESSAGE FOR VOTERS WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY HURRICANE HARVEY: YOU STILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE!

9 If you are living temporarily away from your permanent place of residence, you may still vote in the November 7 ELECTION . Here are your options:1. If you are living outside Harris County, you may request a Ballot by Mail. See the information above and on page 2 of this VOTERS GUIDE to learn if you qualify to vote by mail and how to request , complete and return your You may Early Vote at any one of the 46 Early Voting locations in Harris County, see page 3 of this VOTERS GUIDE for complete information about Early Voting. 3. You may Vote In-Person on ELECTION Day by returning to the Polling Location for your HOME PRECINCT. If you are unsure of your Precinct Number, go to , enter your name and permanent address to find your Precinct Number and Polling Place.

10 On ELECTION Day, you may only vote by returning to your home : To vote In-Person either during Early Voting or on ELECTION Day, you will be required to present one of the acceptable forms of identification (see page 22 for a complete list). If you had an acceptable photo ID. but no longer have it, you may vote using one of the alternative forms of ID (see page 22). You will sign an affidavit and voter a regular you cannot present an acceptable form of photo ID or an alternative, you may ask to cast a provisional ballot. You will then have until Monday, November 13, 2017 to present appropriate photo identification at any office of the Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector in order for your provisional ballot to be accepted and counted. See page 2 and page 22 of this VOTERS GUIDE for additional information on photo THE BUS TO THE POLLS ON ELECTION DAY RIDE FREE!